Silesian Film Fund

A regional film fund is a perfect tool in the hands of producers and filmmakers who are looking for ways to finance their projects. Every year, thanks to our co-production contributions, several films are made in our region – features, short films, documentaries and animations – all of which are related to the Silesian Voivodeship through their themes, or simply through the place of realization. Our objective, however, is not solely to finance film production.

Each film we co-produce denotes there is occupation for business people from our region – and not only for filmmakers, but also for various service providers, actors and extras. It translates to profits for restaurants, hotels, or whole towns engaged in the realization of a given project. Since 2008, when we issued our first call for projects, we have contributed to the making of such films as “You Are God”, directed by Leszek Dawid, “The Mole”, directed by Rafael Lewandowski, or “Drowsiness” by Magdalena Piekorz. In all, we have already co-produced over 30 films.

Silesian Film Fund offers to film producers two ways of application for financial support for a film realization: a traditional path and a crowdfunding path. Financial support can be granted to films which are related to the Silesian Voivodeship through their themes, or simply through the place of realization. SILESIA FILM Film Institution becomes a co-producer with financial contribution and all the profits gained from the co-production supply the Fund, which may be growing in following years. Producers of the films co-financed by the Silesian Film Fund are obliged to spend at least 50% of financial support in the Silesian Voivodeship.

In a traditional path the projects (which meet formal requirements) are directed to be evaluated by experts. On a basis of their recommendation the commission decides which films are going to be co-financed and producers of the chosen films will be invited to discuss a co-production contract. The productions selected according to this path can be granted financial support not exceeding 50% of the project's budget. The applications are filed once a year in due time announced by the Silesian Film Fund and the financial means are allocated within one recruitment.

A crowdfunding path appeared in 2014 as an alternative for the traditional path connected with a previous evaluation of the applications by experts. The producers, who are not interested in the expert evaluation, may choose the crowdfunding path. However, they are obliged to raise 50% of the film budget's with the crowdfunding path. After fulfilling this condition, the producer (when the project meets formal requirements as in the traditional path) is granted financial support from the Silesian Film Fund that covers maximum 30% of the costs connected with a film production.

The applications in the crowdfunding path may be filed all year long provided that financial means given for the realization of the path are not depleted. The rule "first come, first served" is applied here. Thanks to this possibility the film is assessed by potential viewers before the production stage. If it gets the crowdfuding contribution, the Fund will close the budget automatically according to the conditions specified in the rules and regulations.